Art of winding flexible material



y 7, R. M C. JOHNSTONE 2.200.000

' ART OF WINDING FLEXIBLE MArERIAL v Filed Sept. 10, 1937 8 Shuts-Sheet1 A TTORNE Y.

naaznr nc C.JOI/NJTONE R. we, JOHNSTONE 'AR'I OF WINDING FLEXIBLEMATERIAL May 7, 1940.

Filed Sept. 10, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ROBERT M'c c. Jomvsrouz A TTORNE Y.

R. we. .JOHNSTQNE 1m or WINDING FLEXIBLE ua'rsaun- I Filed Sept. '10,19:57

'- 8 Shasta-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY May 7, 1940. R. we. JOHNSTONE ART orWINDING FLEXIBLE mITEaIAL '8 Shuts-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 10, 1937 INVENTORRaamr he a. Jul/Mam! ATTORNEY May 7,1940.

' R. M'QC JOHNSIONE 2.200.000 ART or wmbipe rmxmpflumzxtm Filed Sept.'10)- 1937 a Shuts-SH s ot a- 'INVENTQR.

Roasmr rfc cummqarms BY ATTORNEY.

y 4 R. we. JOHNSTONE 2.200.000

' ART or wmnme FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Filed Se t. 10, 19:57 a Shoqts-Shoet 7INVENTOR. fioa'smnccmum'rous ATTORNEY.

Patented May 1, 1940 UNITED ST TES PATENTDFFICE 2.200.000 aar'or wmnmomxmm MATERIAL Robert M00. Johnstone, Short Hills, N. 1., alsilnor toCameron Machine Company, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York 7Application September 10, 1937. Serial no. 103,190

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-456) what follows, there are special problems inconnection with the production of rolls of adhesive tape, it follows byno means that the methods and means employed in the solution of suchproblems are to be limited to the narrow field of adhesive tapes. Themain object and feature of the invention is to obtain small rolls ofnarrow flexible material in great quantities and at a rapid rate. Theinvention therefore has to do not merely ll with the winding function assuch, but also with the quick assembling and disassembling of coremembers or spools with respect to a winding arbor because the length. oftime consumed in winding material on a set of spools is relatively shortowing to the small diameter of the wound.

material, and it is therefore preferable that the operator be able,during the short time consumed in winding material, to discharge thefilled spools from the arbor and to arrange a new set of empty spools ona winding arbor. So, likewise,

as little time as possible should be lost in'substituting a new set ofspools for those filled and threading the material on the new spools.

The invention consists of the methods and means, a preferred form ofwhich is disclosed in the specification and drawings.

In said drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine look ing inthe directionof arrow 1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on the line 2-2,

Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same, parts being broken away and partsshown in section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an upper fragmentary portion of Fig. 1taken from the opposite side of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine on the line5-5, Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is'a diagrammatic elevation of the spoolingmechanism, parts being shown in crosssection;

Fig. 7 is a similar view, of the upper portion of Fig. 6 showing theweb-severing operation;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the web-severing Fig. 9 is an enlargedfragmentary portion offl Fig. 7 showing the method of severing the tapesat the end of one spooling operation;

Fig. 10.15 a transverse section of one of a 55 series of empty spoolssubsequently to their in what I shall movement into winding position andafter the free ends of the unwound tapes have been tucked into closecontact with the core members or pools;

, Fig. 11 is a side elevation of Fig. 10; 6 Fig 12 is an'enlargedvertical section-onthe line l2-i2 ofFig. 3, showing the slip frictionclutch whereby increased power is applied to the games at the beginning'of each winding opera- Fig. 13 is a fragmentary front elevation of themachine showing the power-controlling devices;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged front elevation of the lower left-hand portion ofFig. 13, with the con- 1.

trols in changed positions;

Fig. 15 is a view. similar to Fig. 14', showing the controls in otherpositions;

" Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the spool loading box, parts beingbroken away and parts shown in section;

Fig. 17 is an end elevation of Fig. 16, parts being brokenaway and partsshown in section; Fig. 18 is a vertical section on the line i'8--l8, ofFig. 16, parts being broken away andparts shown in section;

- 26 Fig. 19 is a vertical section on the line f9l9,

of Fig. 16; I

Fig. 20 is-a transverse section of one of the empty spools in positionon the arbor prior to its locking engagement therewith;

30 Fig. 21 is a similar section showing the interlocking connectionporting arbor;

Fig. 22 is a vertical longitudinal section of between spools and sup-Flg. 21; and

Fig. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the arbor sleeve and spoollocking device. It will facilitate an understanding of the invention if,at the outset, I give a brief outline of the sequence of operations orsteps and supplement it later by a more detailed description.

:Flrst of all, the core members or spools are supported indepecndentlyof thewinding arbor all a loading box 49 (Figs. 16 to 23) after which awinding arbor is inserted 45 through the spools, said arbor consistingof a sleeve 48 and an inner shaft 54 which by a relative rotationalmovement lock the spools in po- .sition on the sleeve. This is of greatadvantage especially as here the core members or spools 50 the newspools.

rest (see diagrams Figs. 6, 7, 9, 10 and i1). The rotatable head isturned thereby moving an arbor with spools, thathave been filled, out ofdriving relation with gear 35 and bringing the arbor with the new spoolsinto driving relation with said gear at the same time bringing thesurface of the empty spools against a taut portion of the unwoundmaterial. The surface of the spools can be provided with prongs to catchand retain the material but in the present instance this is unnecessaryas the material is tacky and therefore adheres firmly to the surface ofthe spool. The material extending between the two sets of spools is nowsevered transversely and a long brush 12 is employed to sweep the looseends of material on the wound roll against the periphery of the roll,and the loose ends of material adjacent the new spools are tucked intoposition by means of a long tucker blade H. The machine can now bestarted up to wind material on The arbor containing the spools alreadyfilled is now removed from the machine and placed in the left-hand emptycompartment of the loading box (Fig. 16) where by a quick movement thespools are released and stripped from the arbor, which latter is thenreloaded in the other side of the box, and the described sequence ofoperations is then'repeated.

Coming now to a more detailed description it will be seen that Fig.1shows a roll or web of material which passes over a power-driven roller26 to a spreader 21. As shownin Fig. 5, said web passes from spreader 21to and over a guide roller 28 and from thence under a slitter drum 23between which and a transverse series of cutters 33, the web is slittedlongitudinally to form a multiplicity of strips or tapes. As the stripsor tapes pass upwardly with their con-'- tiguous lateral edges injuxtaposition, alternate strips or tapes are diverted over a lower guideroller 3| to a lower spooling mechanism to be hereinafter describedwhile the remaining strips or tapes continue their movement upwardlyabout an upper guide roller 32 to an upper spooling mechanism. In thisway the strips or tapes are formed into separate groups oflaterallyspaced tapes arranged in a predetermined order in which theyare to be separately spooled.

The upper and lower spooling mechanisms are substantially similar inconstruction so that .a description of the upper one will serve forboth. Journaled in opposite side frames 33 and 34 is a transverse head35, said head being provided at one end with a shaft or journal 36 (Fig.3) which extends through and projects beyond side frame 33. Mounted atthe outer end of shaft 36 is a lever 31 whereby the head and spoolsupports (to be presently described) are shifted through arcs of 180degrees after each spooling operation. Keyed to shaft 36 at the outersurfaceof side frame 33 is a locking disk 38 which, as shown in Fig. 4,is provided with diametrically opposite notches 33 for receiving aspring-pressed bolt or detent 40 in a housing 4| mounted on the sideframe, the head being thereby locked in a stationary position after eachrotational shift. Oppositely-presented cutter blades 42 are suitablyarranged on the head for severing the tapes or strips between the filledand empty spools in the manner to be hereinafter explained. Rigidlyconnected to head 35 at opposite ends, within side frames 33 and 34 arebearing frames or spiders 43 which carry fixed bearing members 44 andremovable bearing caps 45 for journaling the spool-supporting arbors,said bearing caps being pivotally mounted on spider frames 43, under theconstraint of'toggles 46 which are stabilized in either position of thecap bearings by means of tension springs 41..

Referring now to Figs. 16 to 23 of the drawings, spool-supporting orwinding arbors are provided, each of said arbors, in the form hereillustrated, consisting of an inner shaft 54, an outer sleeve 48 withinwhich the shaft is turnable, and a tapered band or thimble 54b whichretains the sleeve against axial displacement on the shaft andfacilitates the insertion of the arbor into the winding cores which arehere shown in the form of spools 56 arranged in predeterminedlaterally-spaced order. For the purpose of re- ,leasably locking thespools to the arbor in any desired arrangement, suitable means areprovided such, -for example, as that shown in Figs. 20, 21, 22 and 23.As there shown, sleeve 43 is provided with opposite series of holes orsockets 5i having portions of the surrounding metal on set by a peeningoperation to form flanges 5la (Fig. 23) for limiting the outwarddisplacement of spool-engaging locking members, here shown as balls 52disposed in said holes or sockets. For

limiting the inward movement of balls 52, shaft 54 is provided withoppositely presented flattened surfaces 54a, the construction being suchthat in the relative positions of the parts shown in Fig, 20, the spoolsmay be readily placed on and removed from the arbor while, in thepositions of the parts shown in Figs. 21 and 22, the spools are lockedto the arbor by permanently deforming the sheet material. of the spoolsby the protrusion of balls 52. For the purpose of facilitating theseoperations and more especially for enabling the spools to be mounted onthe arbor in a predetermined laterally-spaced order in a rapid andaccurate manner, a loading box 43 is provided in which stationary spoolsupports 53, in the form of open bearings to engage the outer surfacesof the spools, are arranged in the.

desired predetermined order in which the spools are to be mounted inthe-rotatable head of the winding mechanism. The spools having beenplaced on said supports, the arbor is next inserted endwise through saidspools until an enlargement or collar 60 near its outer end enters arecess 6| in the side wall of loading box 43 with the arbor resting incoaxially alined bearings 62 (ill and 63 in the opposite side walls ofthe loading box. If desired, pivoted latches acan be used to hold thearbor down'in bearings 62 and 63.

.Keyed to the shaft 54 is a spur gear 55 which meshes with a larger spurgear 56 which turns on a fixed stub shaft mounted on said side wall ofthe loading box. A lever 51, which is acted upon by a spring 53 thattends to retain it in' peripheral groove 63 extending approximatelydegrees about the axis of the sleeve. A pin 31 presented into thisgroove from gear 55, is moved in a counterclockwise direction from itsposition shown in Fig. 17 to the upper end of said groove by therotation of shaft 54 between its successive positions with respect tosleeve 43 I shown in Figs, 20 and'21 respectively.

two groups of empty spools are shown at the right in Figs. 16 andl'l,the coaxiallyarranged spools on one arbor being disposed in staggeredrelation to the similarly arranged spools on the other arbor. Afterlever 31 on the 'right has been depressed to impart a quarter turn in aclockwise direction (Fig. 17), to lock the .core

members to the spools,-both groups of spools with their arbors areremoved from the loading box and are'in readiness to be placed in theupper and lower spooling mechanisms respectively of the winding machine.It will be understood that, when cores 80 are locked to sleeve 48 by theturning movement of shaft 84, pin 81 abuts against the end oi slot 83,and that the parts remain in this position when the arbor is inserted inthe winding machine. Therefore, when power is applied by the windingmachine to gear 88 on shaft 84, the rotation of the latter will drivesleeve 43 through 31 and 38 in unison with said shaft. According to Fig.5, the righthand spools in the upper and lower spooling mechanisms havebeen filled and spiders 43 with their interposed heads have been moved,while the winding action is discontinued, through an angle of 180degrees from position Fig. 6 in readiness for the tapes to be severedbetween the filled and empty spool groups in the manner indicated inFigs. '7 and 9. In so doing, the clockwise displacement of the filledspools causes a portion of the wound material to be unwound from thefilled spools and causes the tapes to be drawn taut over the cutterblades 42 by which they are out under the pressure of a hand-appliedroll 88 as it is moved lengthwise of the cutter blade. As shown in Fig.8, the roll may be journaled in a hood 10 provided with a handle. Afterthe tapes are thus severed, the loose ends on one side of the cutterblade are pressed into contact with the drums oi the empty spools by amultiplex sweep comprising a transverse bar 'II and curved bladesllawhich conform to the curvature of said drums. For the purpose of wipingthe free ends of the severed tapes on the opposite side of cutter 42into contact with the wound tapes, an elongated brush I2 maybe appliedthereto while the arbor is being turned by means of a spanner wrench I5.For convenience in using said brush, it may be suspended by ropes I3from overhead pulleys and counterbalanced by a weight 14. Uponcompletion of the spooling operations as described, the arbor or arborswhich carry the filled spools, are removed from the winding mechanismand placed in bearings 82 and 83 shown at the left in Fig. 16 withnotches 88 in enlargements 80 of the sleeves in engagement with thefixed pins 84, the pins 01 on the spur gears 88 being disposed at theupper ends of arcuate recesses 88. A depression of lefthand lever 51aproduces an unlocking movement of shafts 84 within sleeves 48, saidunlocking 'movement being substantially similar to but in a reversedirection with respect to the locking movement produced by lever 81.'The balls 82 are now relieved from an outward displacing pressure dueto the clearance afforded to them by flattened surfaces 840. .The arborsare then retracted endwise from the spools which are stripped therefromby a side wall of the loading box. It is clear from the foregoingdescription "that the empty spools are rapidly and easily arranged inpredetermined order in one side of the loading box wherein they aresimultaneously loaded upon arbors which may be quickly and easilymountedin the winding mechanism and expeditiously wound, after which the woundcores or spools are removed from said winding mechanism and are strippedfrom the arbors to fall into the other side of the box from which theymay be taken and wrapped for the market.

, Suitable means for supplying power to the machine, may be provided bya belt-driven pulley I8 (Figs. 3 and 13) constructed and-arranged totransmit power intermittently through a clutch 18a to a spur pinion Il.-An axial thrust cam I8 for actuating said clutch may be operated by asprocket I8 over which a chain 30 is movable by a treadle II. A gear 82is driven by pinion I'I, said gear being keyed to a transverse shaft 33upon which vdrum 28 of the web-slitting device is mounted. Keyed toshaft 83 on the opposite side of the machine, is a power-distributinggear 84 which meshes with a gear 38 (Figs. 1, 3 and 5). A drivingsprocket" which is driven by spur gear 88 is connected by a chain 31 toa follower sprocket 88. A friction coupling 08 (Fig. 2) is interposedbetween sprocket 08 and roller 26 (Fig. 1). A spur gear 80 (Figs. 1 and12), driven by spur gear 84, transmits power through a slip fractionclutch 8I to a spur gear 82. A small pinion 83 (Fig. 1) which is drivenby gear 82, is keyed to a spindle 84 Journaled in side frame 34, a spurpinion 85 being also keyed to spindle 84 on the inner side of said framefor driving the upper spooling mechanism. A similar train of gearscomprising gear 86, slip friction clutch 81 (Fig. 3), gear 88, and gear88, connects power distributing gear 84 to a pinion I for driving thelower spooling mechanism. Driving pinions 88 and I00 are suitablylocated to mesh with gears 86 on the outer ends of winding arbors assaid arbors are moved successively into winding position in the upperand lower spooling mechanisms by successive rotational movements ofspider frames 43. Keyed to drum shaft 83 is a spur gear IOI (Figs. 3 and4), said gear being connected to pull rollers 3| and 32 for the upperand lower spooling mechanisms, respectively, through a gear I02 on anintermediate shaft I03, friction block I04 keyed to shaft I03, pinion Ifreely rotatable on shaft I03 under the adjustable pressure of a diskI08, an idler I01, and pinions I08 and I08, the latter of which arecarried by pull rollers 3| and 32 (Figs. 3 and 4). A

In machines of the character described above, whenever the windingoperation is interrupted for any purpose such, for example, as thereplacement of filled winding cores or spools by empty ones, there is atendency during the rest periods for the material to cling to therollers and drums which guide said material through the machine. Thiscondition is especially noticeable in cases where the material is coatedwith adhesive and the tacky surfaces are permitted to come to rest incontact with said rollers and drums. In consequence it is readily seenthat to break down this bonding tendency between the material and therotary membersover' which it passes calls for the application ofconsiderable power for this purpose alone. For the purpose of applyingadditional power for breaking this bonding or clinging tendency aftereach stoppage of the machine, there are means of suitable constructionwhich operate automatically, to increase the applica-' tion of powerwhenever the winding operation is initiated and to reduce theapplication of power to a nning normal when the material is running feely through the machine. For this purpose, a cam-operating treadle IIII shown at the left in Fig. 13 to be normally held in elevatedposition by a yieldable hanger III, is connected by an inclined link II2to one arm of a bellcrank II3, the other arm of said bellcrank beingconnected by a link rod II to one arm of a second bellcrank II5.Extending upwardly from the other arm of the second bellcrank, is a rodIIG which is connected at its upper end to the outer end of a camactuating arm I". Fig. 3, the arm II1 when depressed imparts an angulardisplacement to a cam member H8 and a consequent axial displacement toacomplementary cam member II9. As shown in Fig. 12, the outwarddisplacement of cam member II9 compresses a spring I20 and therebyincreases the pressure between friction disks 9| and thus provides formomentarily increasing the driving power delivered to the gear 92whenever the treadle I III is depressed for delivering more power to thedriving gear 95 for the upper spooling mechanism. As the machineaccelerates, gear 90 moves in a direction counter to the angulardisplacement of cam H3 and operates thereon by friction to return it toits normal position and thus permits the spooling operation to continueunder normal power. A similar increase in the driving power of thepinion I00 for the lower spooling mechanism, may be provided for asfollows. A radial arm I2I on cam member H8 is connected by a rod I22 toa radial arm I23 on a cam memberl24 of the lower spooling mechanism.Cooperating with cam member I24 is another cam member I25, a relativeturning movement between said cam members serving to increase theyieldable pressure applied to friction coupling 91 between spur gears 95and 98. For the purpose of maintaining oscillatable cam members H9 andI25 in definite rotational relation to each other while at the same timepermitting them to be displaced axially to a limited extent, a rod I26is mounted in side frame 34 (Fig. 3), a perforated connection plate I21being mounted on the outer end of said rod with a limited amount oflateral play. An arm I29 projects radially from clutch member H9 and ispivotally connected at its outer end to plate I2I through one of theperforations at a distance from one end of a connecting rod I29 which isconnected thereto through another perforation. The other end of rod I29is pivotally connected to the outer end of a radial arm I30 carried bycam member I25.

The starting and acceleration controls are shown in Figs. 1, 13, 14 and15. Pivotally mounted on a pin I3I at the bottom of the front end ofside frame 33 is a rock bar I32 to which is connected a spring I33 whichtends to retain the rock bar in one or the other of two extremepositions assumed by said bar at different times.

' Projecting normally from the rock bar is an arm I33 which is providedwith an inclined upper edge I35 for temporarily preventing the downwardmovement of power treadle 8I until after camcontrolling treadle III] hasbeen depressed to increase the power transmitted to the spoolingmechanisms in the manner described above. A stop pin. I36 which projectsforwardly from the side frame 33 in the angle between the left-hand armof rock bar I32 and stop arm I33 is arranged to limit the movement ofsaid rock bar in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Se-

As shown in,

. I34 from the downward path of treadle 9|.

cured to the inner wall of side frame 33 is a bracket I31 with a stop orlug I33 for limiting the upward movement of treadle 3|, said bracketbeing further provided with a downwardly inclined shoulder I39 forretaining treadle 3| in depressed position while the machine is running.

While the machine is at rest, the cam and power controls are in theirrelative positions shown in Fig. 13, the downward movement of powertreadle 8I being blocked by stop arm I34 which is then in its extremeposition toward the right. To start the machine after installing emptyspool assemblies to replace the filled spool assemblies, treadle H0 isdepressed to increase the power-transmitting capacity of frictioncouplings 3| and 31 through which the spooling mechanisms are drivenwhile at the same time removing stop arm As indicated in Figs. 14 and15, the downward movement of power-controlling treadle 3I moves rock barI32 in a clockwise direction until the tension of spring I 33,becomesactive to the right of pivot I3I when said rock bar is actuated therebyto come into engagement with stop pin I33. After treadle 8| has beensufilciently depressed to be anchored below shoulder I39 whereit-remains until the spooling operation has been completed, treadle III]is permitted to reassume its upper position to permit the windingoperation to continue at normalv running speed. The relative positionsof the parts while the machine is running is shown in Fig. 15. As soonas the spooling operation has been completed, a slight downward andlateral displacement of treadle 3| serves to release it from theshoulder I39. As the treadle moves upwardly to its initial positionshown in Fig. 13 it imparts a slight counterclockwise movement to stoparm I33 which is immediately returned to its initial position (Fig. 13)by the spring I33.

The method and means for assembling core members on an arbor are notclaimed herein but form the subject matter of a divisional applicationSer. No. 207,258,,fi1ed May 11, 1938.

The method and means for temporarily increasing the winding tension andthe power applied to the machine are not claimed herein but form thesubject matter of adivisional application Ser. No. 207,259, filed May11, 1938.

I claim:

1. The method of winding flexible material into successive rolls whichconsists in winding a portion of said material on a member, interruptingthe winding operation, moving said member out of winding position andmoving a second member into engagement with the unwound material tothereby unwind a portion of the wound material from said first memberand to create a taut portion of material that extends between said firstand second members, severing the material at a point between tne twomembers, tucking the loose ends of the material thus formed one againstthe wound material on the first member and the other against the secondmember, and then continuing the winding operation of the material on thesecond member.

'2. Ina winding machine, a. rotatable head, means to support two windingarbors in spaced apart relation on said head, and two oppositely facingknives carried by said head intermediate the supporting means.

3. The method of winding a section oi flexible I material intosuccessive rolls which consists in winding a portion of said material ona member occupying an operative position, stopping the "I r 9,290,000winding operation, moving said member out of operative position andsimultaneously moving a second member into operative position inengagement with the unwound material to thereby unwind a portion of thewound material from the first member and to create a taut portion ofmaterial that extends between the first and second 7 which the pinionsof the arbors are to successively engage and disengage when said gear isstationaryand which when rotated drives that winding arbor the pinion ofwhich is in engagement therewith to thereby wind material on said arbor;

m'ens to turn said head, while the driving gear is standing still tobring the pinion of one arbor out of mesh and the pinion of anotherarbor into mesh with said gear to thereby unwind material from thatarbor the pinion of which is moving out of mesh with said gear and onwhich arbor material has been previously wound whereby a taut section ofmaterial is created between the two arbors.

ROBERT McC. JOHNSTONE.

